The Nightmare: Part 2
by Mylinda Antoinette
Summary: PART 2! Knuckles has come to pick up Sonia for a date. But then Sonia finds out something that changes her life forever. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Thank you, Phantom86! Here is your answer, and I actually have a series of other stories written long before I joined though some of them are really stupid. This one is actually one of my favorites, and I appreciate your thoughtful comments! I am partially finished with a final episode of Sonic Underground as well, where Sonic, Manic, and Sonia reunite with Queen Aleena.

* * *

Sonia rushed breathlessly into the breakfast room. "I don't look too fat, do I?" she asked anxiously. Sonic and Manic rolled their eyes.

"No prizes for guessing!" Sonic snorted.

"Knuckles," Manic agreed.

"Honestly, Sonia, I don't know what you see in him. He has absolutely no appreciation for the value of a chili dog! Besides, we thought you liked Stripes," Sonic said.

"Yeah, and what about that pompous rich dude, Bartleby? What species is he, anyway?" Manic added.

Sonic shrugged. "Got me, bro."

"You guys, Stripes is just a good friend, and besides, I met him before Knuckles, and Manic, I broke up with Bartleby a long time ago. I can't believe I ever agreed to be his fiancée!" Sonia admitted.

Just then, Knuckles showed up.

Sonia reached up to touch her hair self-consciously. "Hi, Knuckles," she said shyly, acknowledging his presence.

"Hello, Sonia." Knuckles cleared his throat. "Shall we be going?"

"Of course, Knux," Sonia affectionately responded.

"Where will you be going?" Aleena inquired.

"Angel Island," Knuckles said flatly, looking straight into Sonia's big, beautiful green eyes.

"Knuckles!" Sonia exclaimed, surprised. Knuckles had never spoken to her mother this way before.

"It's all right, Sonia," Aleena reassured her daughter. She walked over to whisper in her daughter's ear, "Don't be too hard on him. Remember, he didn't have anyone to teach him manners like you did."

"Oh, right," Sonia said, remembering.

"Well, I certainly hope you two have a good time," Aleena wished them enthusiastically.

"I'm afraid it won't be a good time, Your Majesty. For either of us," Knuckles added. "We won't be gone long, so Sonia here should have plenty of time to get ready for her duty of being present for Robotnik's execution."

"Well, go on then, and get it over with," Aleena laughed.

Knuckles nodded in agreement as he ushered Sonia out of the palace. Sonia glanced back just in time to catch her mother's wink.


	2. Chapter 2

Knuckles sat sullenly in the plane, concentrating on flying it. It wouldn't do any good to have any kind of harm come to Sonia while she was with him, all because he was distracted. He could see her next to him, out of the corner of his eye, biting her lip, trying to keep a hold on her emotions. He was certain she had an idea of what was wrong and just didn't want to accept it. He was equally certain she had the wrong idea.

"Oh, Knuckles, I can't take it anymore. What's wrong? We're more than half-way to the island and you haven't said a word since we left the palace. I'm getting worried," Sonia informed him.

"I'll tell you when we get there," he muttered.

Sonia sat back, shocked into silence. He had never treated her like that before, and the look in his eyes troubled her. Usually she felt extremely shy under the gaze of his handsome, deep violet eyes, but today she felt tense, uneasy, on edge, like something was going to pounce on her. Wait a minute… could it be that…

No, this is Knuckles, Sonia reminded herself. What if that didn't matter, though? What if…

What if he had fallen in love with someone else?

This thought was new and disturbing. Sonia felt like if it were true, her life would be at an end, even though she had her mother…

Her mother. What would Aleena do in a situation like this?

She would speak right up and ask.

"Knuckles, I have to know. Are… are you seeing someone else? Because you know, if you are, I wish you'd just tell me, instead of putting me through all this," Sonia stated firmly.

Knuckles sighed. A sign, Sonia wondered.

Finally, Knuckles spoke. "No, Sonia, I'm not seeing anyone else. I was afraid you'd get that idea. Unfortunately, though, it's just as bad. Now, please, be quiet. I _am_ a little distracted right now, and I need to concentrate on flying the plane because I don't want anything to happen to you while you're with me. I _promise_, you'll know everything as soon as we get there."

Sonia sighed in relief. Nothing could be as bad as potentially losing her perfect match.

* * *

Well, here's Chapter 2. Chapter 3 just needs to get typed up and I'll have it posted for those of you who want to read it. It probably won't happen today, and if it does, it'll be a miracle. I'll certainly do my best but don't be surprised if I don't get it up. 


	3. Chapter 3

Well, the miracle happened. I managed to get this story finished and posted.

For those of you who haven't seen SU, when Sonic and the gang visited Angel Island, there appeared to be no other echidnas on the island. That was the basis for this story.

* * *

The plane landed on the landing pad outside Knuckles' home on Angel Island. Knuckles got out and stepped around to help Sonia out of the plane.

"Sonia, no matter what happens after I show you what I must show you, I want you to know that I will always love you, you and no one else."

"Oh, Knuckles," Sonia cried, throwing her arms around him. The thing that made what he had just told her so touching was that he wasn't usually this open when it came to showing affection. In fact, it was difficult for him to be gentlemanly to her.

Knuckles returned her embrace, and they shared a kiss. Little did Sonia know that that kiss would be the last one they would share for a long time.

"Sonia, won't you come inside?" Knuckles encouraged her. Sonia accepted graciously.

"Now, Sonia, I really did not want this to happen to us," Knuckles began after they got inside, "but do you remember when I told you that I was the last of the Echidna?"

Sonia nodded uneasily. Where was he going with this?

"Well, I got this letter a while ago. It's the reason you didn't see me for so long, because I couldn't bring myself to tell you about it." He handed her the letter.

Sonia took it and cautiously opened it.

* * *

The letter read:

Dear Mr. Knuckles Echidna,

We are pleased to inform you that in addition to your current duties to your island, you are being kindly granted an additional duty, and a rare privilege. Most people in your area, as we're sure you're aware, believe that you are the last of the echidna. However, that myth is false. You have a duty to marry our daughter, Julie-Su, and restore the echidna to its rightful place in nature. We will be contacting you within the next few months concerning the marriage/wedding arrangements. You have no choice in the matter, as it is your destiny. And as a side note to whoever your girlfriend is, get lost! Knuckles has a duty to his kind, and you are getting in the way of that duty!

Sincerely,

Mr. and Mrs. Echidna

* * *

Sonia looked up at Knuckles, tears brimming in her eyes.

"I knew I had to tell you today because I received the letter 'concerning the marriage/wedding' arrangements' last night," Knuckles admitted, embarrassed. "I am **_so_** sorry, Sonia. Believe me, if I had the power to reject this, I would. I never thought that this would happen to us. I love you, Sonia, and I will **_never_** be able to love anyone else the way I do you."

"No, Knuckles," Sonia insisted, more bravely than she felt. "They're right. You have a duty to your kind. So do I. Though my duty shoulders fewer responsibilities, they're usually heavier, like this this one. The hardest of my many duties to citizens of Mobius is going to be letting you go."

Knuckles rushed over to her, embracing her. "Sonia, I have to thank you for how well you handled this. It makes this duty so much easier for me. Maybe someday, if Julie-Su dies, then we can be together again."

"Yeah, maybe," Sonia mumbled. "I have to get back to the palace now."

"Yeah, that's right," Knuckles remembered. "I'm not going to have a very good relationship with my in-laws. I'll make them sorry they spoke to you that way."

"NO, Knuckles! You wouldn't be doing me any favors by doing that. They are right. Think about it. I'm sure they had no idea I was a princess." Sonia took a deep breath. "I know how much this is hurting you to have to let go. Believe me, I'm feeling it, too. However, _there's nothing we can do about it,_ unless you want to see an echidna skeleton added to the Mobian Museum of Science and History. I'm certain that's not what either of us wants. Please, Knuckles, just do your duty."

Knuckles stared at her. "All right, Sonia. Whatever you say." His voice sounded strange. "I'd best get you home."

"Yes, please do," Sonia breathed in relief.

* * *

There will be one more chapter after this, so keep watching! Hopefully I'll have it posted tomorrow! 


	4. Chapter 4

Well, here it is: Chapter 4, the final chapter in this story. This is my only story with chapters in it, so all of my other stories will just be one long chapter. Sorry for the long wait, and I hope you enjoy the conclusion to _The Nightmare: Part 2._

* * *

The ride home was long and silent. When they arrived back at the palace, Knuckles started to get out to go around and help Sonia out, but she stopped him.

"I can do this myself, Knuckles. The more we see each other, the harder it will be for both of us," Sonia explained.

"Of course… Your Highness."

Sonia faltered, and then turned back one last time to embrace Knuckles. "Oh, Knuckles! You'll always be my friend, no matter what happens! Nothing that happens in life can prevent us from being friends! Even though this has happened, we don't have to be like strangers!" Sonia hesitated. She reached over and, gently grabbing his muzzle, turned it toward her. "You will always hold a special place in my heart, my dearest friend. Goodbye, Knuckles."

Knuckles gazed into her eyes. _She's right_, he realized as his face lit up. "As you will always be in my heart, Sonia. Farewell… until next time."

Sonia stood back and waved until the plane was out of sight. Then she slowly turned away and burst into tears. She ran to her room, past the breakfast room, where Aleena, Sonic, and Manic were talking. They stopped as they watched her run toward her room.

"How much ya wanna bet he finally admitted he doesn't really like her?" Manic laughed. Sonic joined in, until Aleena silenced them.

"Stop it, you two! Shame on you! Here your sister is in tears and all you can do is crack jokes about her?" Aleena scolded. She then sailed out of the room in the direction Sonia had run, leaving Sonic and Manic sitting there, silent. Something must be wrong. Aleena had never spoken to them like that before. They stood and silently followed.

Aleena knocked lightly on Sonia's door. "Sonia, my child, may I come in?"

"Mother, o-of course," Sonia sobbed in reply.

Aleena opened the door to see her daughter lying face down on the bed, sobbing into her pillow.

"Why, Sonia! Won't you tell me what's wrong?" Aleena gently prodded, walking over and sitting next to her daughter. Sonia sat up and moved closer to her mother.

"Mother, Kn-Knuckles g-gave me this t-today," Sonia said, handing Aleena the letter, trying to stop crying. "He- He told me t-that he g-got it a-a few days a-ago. It's my… w-well, my s-second worst n-nightmare c-come true!"

Aleena read it carefully and somewhat slowly, to give Sonia a chance to calm down. "Well, dear, I can certainly see why you're upset. This is a big deal. What did Knuckles say?"

Sonia, somewhat calmer now, replied, "He told me he would refuse this if he could, but he can't. He told me he never intended for this to happen to us, and that I was, and always will be, the only one he loves." She wiped away her tears. "I told him that it's just another duty, and reminded him that I have many duties, though his _do_ shoulder more responsibility in most cases, but I had to admit that, of all my duties to citizens of Mobius, letting him go would be the hardest one of all. Then, before he left, I had to turn around and go back over to give him one final hug, and I told him that he will always be in my heart, and I reminded him that, no matter what happens, we will always be best friends."

"Good for you, Sonia! That's exactly how I would have handled it!" Aleena praised her daughter.

"I'm glad. I tried to think what you would have said or done in that situation," Sonia admitted.

"Well, you did a fine job! I am **_very_** proud of you!" Aleena said. "I am sure you will one day make a fine queen of Mobius."

"What's all the fuss about? We could hear you all the way down the hall," Sonic and Manic shouted, poking their heads in the door.

"I'll explain later. Now, you all had better get dressed for the execution/party."

"Yikes! That's right!" the triplets exclaimed, Sonic and Manic dashing to their rooms.

Aleena laughed as she left the room. Robotnik would shortly be gone forever, and all was in harmony at the palace. Well, almost. Aleena knew, though, that though it might not have seemed like it at the moment, Sonia's pain of losing Knuckles would soon pass. She would no longer feel it, and she would be happy for Knuckles and Julie-Su. Aleena was very pleased with her daughter's progress. She knew that, when she was gone, Mobius would be perfectly safe in Sonia's capable hands.


End file.
